Lausanne aim to build on winning start in Europe against Ħamrun

Swiss side Lausanne-Sport are aiming for a second consecutive win in the UEFA Conference League when they face Ħamrun Spartans.

The Swiss outfit head into the match on the back of a comfortable 3-0 victory over Icelandic side Breidablik, which marked a winning debut in the league phase.

Now, against the Maltese champions, Lausanne-Sport will look to make it two wins from two.

“We studied Ħamrun Spartans on video. They’re a very fast team, with players like (Saliou) Thioune, who played for Yverdon, and (N’Dri) Koffi, a former Sochaux player. I also know (Ante) Coric personally, number 24, who played for Zurich,” coach Peter Zeidler said.

“We’re approaching this match with a lot of respect, but also with the clear desire to win the three points. We know it’s going to be a big match, but we’re ready. You can see the touch of their Italian coach: they play in a well-structured 4-3-3. It’s up to us to find the solutions.”

Zeidler also noted the good atmosphere surrounding the fixture.

“The climate is mild. Ħamrun qualified for the playoffs, which is already a great achievement. Without being pretentious, I think we’re a little further along in our process, but it’s still a European Cup match: we’ll have to be very good to win.”

“Like Ħamrun, we’ve only played one match. It’s too early to talk about a top-8 or top-24 finish. We’re happy with the three points we took against Breidablik, and we just want to build on that. We’re happy to be here and looking forward to this match.”

Captain Olivier Custodio echoed his coach’s comments, saying: “We’re here to play a European Cup match and to win, as always. That’s our goal. Ħamrun Spartans are a quality opponent, with good players capable of restarting the game cleanly and pushing forward quickly. They have some very effective wingers in one-on-one situations — that’s what we’ve seen on video.”

“European matches are always tough. We’ll need to put in a lot of intensity and maintain the organization that has been our strength for several weeks. That’s what can help us win the three points.”

“We know Ħamrun will be highly motivated — it’s their first home game in Europe. It’s up to us to respond with intensity and aggression, defend well, and impose our game to put them in difficulty.”

Lausanne-Sport currently sit ninth in the Swiss Super League table with nine points from nine matches.